PROJECT SUMMARY ARAC The overarching mission of the WU-DDRCC is to promote collaborative, multidisciplinary research focused on interactions between host and environment in digestive disease. The goals of the Administrative and Resource Access Core (ARAC) are to coordinate, manage and integrate all activities of the WU-DDRCC, thereby maximizing value to our membership from all Cores and Enrichment Programs. These goals will be accomplished by: (1) Aligning Core services and technologies to reflect thematic interests of our Research Base; (2) Promoting multidisciplinary, collaborative research in digestive disease through an Enrichment Program of regular seminars, visiting speakers, journal clubs, symposia and mini-sabbaticals; (3) Nurturing junior faculty career development via Pilot and Feasibility (P/F) Awards that facilitate scientific independence: (4) Catalyzing collaborative and synergistic interaction among other NIDDK funded Centers locally (DRC, NORC) and other DDRCCs throughout the region (Midwest Alliance). The ARAC pursues these goals by providing stable, responsive stewardship of scientific Cores, global financial oversight and strategic allocation of supplemental awards to leverage institutional Cores. These goals are guided by both Internal (IAB), and External Advisory Boards (EAB). KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS since 2013 include: (1) Alignment of membership reflecting evolving interests and departures balanced with new recruitment (50 Full members 12/2018 vs 49 Full members 12/2013), with 50% of the current membership new since 2013, (2) Support of membership realized through 30% net growth in Annual Direct Costs (ADC) ($23.8M 12/2013 vs $30.9M 12/2018). (3) Evolution of Core services in response to new institutional investment, most notably a new Precision Animal Models and Organoids Core (PAMOC), (4) Investing in P/F Awardees, resulting in a 26:1 return on investment since 2013 and launching academic careers in research (95% still active in digestive disease research among awardees from 1999 to present), (5) Sponsoring an Enrichment Program featuring ~12 external speakers/year (including at least one designated underrepresented minority/year), a formal mentorship program THE SPECIFIC AIMS FOR THE ARAC ARE: (1) Provide leadership, governance and administrative infrastructure for members, including strategic alignment of Core services with current and future needs of the Research Base. (2) Manage and oversee Core services to assure timely, high quality, specialized expertise, guided by an Internal Executive Committee (IEC) and an Internal Advisory Board (IAB). (3) Review Research Base membership and align thematic interests, guided by IEC and Thematic Program Leaders. (4) Promote scientific independence for junior faculty through a P/F Program guided by an External Advisory Board (EAB) who review and select Awardees. (5) Promote collaboration, awareness of new scientific initiatives, career development and diversity through a dynamic Enrichment Program. (6) Assure continued administrative and scientific dialog with other DDRCCs particularly those in the Midwest Alliance as well as the NIDDK DDRCC program website.